Lester Lake (Waterford Township, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lester Lake |
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 Lester Lake
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Oakland County, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°42′12″N 83°25′24″W / 42.703269°N 83.423354°W |
| Max. depth | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
| Surface elevation | 965 feet (294 m) |
| Settlements | Waterford Township and Independence Township |
Lester Lake is a beautiful lake located in Oakland County, Michigan. It is part of the main branch of the Clinton River. Most of Lester Lake is in Waterford Township, but a small part of its northern end reaches into Independence Township.
Lester Lake is connected to several other lakes. Upstream, it links to the 117-acre Greens Lake. It also connects to the 179-acre Lotus Lake and the 234-acre Maceday Lake. If you want to boat from Lester Lake to Lotus Lake, you have to go through a narrow tunnel under some railroad tracks. Downstream, Lester Lake connects to Van Norman Lake, which is 66 acres and 90 feet deep.
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Why is it Called Lester Lake?
Lester Lake was named after William Lester. He was one of the first people to settle in Oakland County.
In 1818, William Lester, along with Colonel Stephen Mack, Major Joseph Todd, and Orisen Allen, were the very first settlers in the area that would later become the city of Pontiac, Michigan. William Lester chose to settle in section 29 of Pontiac.
Camp Brady: A Place for Kids
Boy Scout Camp
Camp Brady was a special camp for Boy Scouts. It was run by the Detroit Area Council. This camp was located on the eastern side of Lester Lake. The camp even stretched across Andersonville Road to Greens Lake. Camp Brady was open from 1921 until 1946.
A Camp for Mothers and Daughters
In 1946, the camp was sold to the United Way. After that, it became a camp for mothers and daughters, and it stayed open until 1972. The Detroit Public Schools also used the camp to help children who needed extra support. The part of Camp Brady right on Lester Lake was sold for homes in 1946.
The Train Depot and Resort Life
Easy Access by Train
In 1851, the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway built tracks through Waterford Township. This made it much easier for people from big cities to visit the lakes, including Lester Lake, for summer vacations.
A Popular Resort Area
Train stations like the Windiate depot, along with the Waterford depot, the Drayton Plains depot, and the Clarkston depot, helped turn Waterford Township and Independence Township into a popular resort area.
Windiate Park Hotel
The Windiate Park Hotel was a summer resort that attracted vacationers from Detroit and Lansing. It was located across the railroad tracks from Lester Lake, on Lotus Lake, close to the Windiate depot. From the 1890s to the 1940s, four trains a day would bring visitors during the summer. The resort offered fun activities like boating, fishing, sailing, sunbathing, tennis, and even had a dance hall! J.D. and M.L. Rice owned this popular resort.
Fish in Lester Lake
Lester Lake is home to many different kinds of fish. Some of the fish you might find there include pumpkinseed sunfish, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, and crappie.
